The Bohri community in Mumbai are a small sect of Shia muslims who have lived in the Bhendi Bazaar district for generations, some of whom have moved there from neighbouring Gujarat. The Bohri Mohalla itself was a hidden gem reserved only for those in the know who craved both its secrets and impeccable flavours.

Today, you can experience the historic behemoth in all its glory, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Before we take you on this trail of fleshy delicacies and freshly-greased hot treats, all readers deserve to know what they’re getting themselves into. Making your way through this district sampling different delicacies at every stop is not for the weak-hearted.

This is a grimy, greasy, wholly adventurous journey through a very special part of the city that you might never have visited despite living here your whole life. And it’s only going to be even more brimming-with-life during Eid. But if being at the heart of a place where you can see your food being cooked to perfection before your eyes, and you have no aversion to experimentation, then this is an early Birthday present, from us to you. Either way, there’s nothing stopping from you from taking a virtual tour with us.

When you arrive at the Mohalla, be prepared to be greeted with a tantalizing waft of aromas where no meat is ever discriminated against in use, and diet is only a four letter word. With the monsoons upon us, it’s easy to get lost in gastronomical fantasy and take shelter and overlook the years of culture, tradition and togetherness that built the neighbourhood, so we prefer to treat this piece as a guide to a neighborhood. Before you start, we thought you’d like a glimpse of how to eat Bohri-style.

The Bohris prefer to start with dessert, which is then followed by starters and a main course of different kinds of meat, definitely a heavy pick up at the end of the day.  The food is also quite unique with its meat offerings, using the tongue (Zaban), cow udder (khiri) and soft bheja (brain), definitely not for the meek! So take a walk through the lanes and remember the old saying “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.”

I. Al Rehmani Restaurant

2 & 4, E,R, Road, JJ Corner, Byculla Area, Byculla, Mumbai

Diagonally opposite JJ Hospital is a blink-or-you’ll-miss it joint named Al Rehmani, but beware if you don’t because their food is not for the faint-hearted. In here, you’ll find a treasure chest of gastronomical wonders right from their daal gosht and mutton biryani to their succulently roasted chicken leg.

We’ve been told that their mutton masala and chicken kadhai are particularly delectable too, so you may as well forget any hope of a diet. Another unique option is the deep fried seekh parantha, essentially a beef paratha, very similar to the south indian kuttu paratha, and it is flat depending on the place.served with mint leaves and green chutney. Great for the tastebuds and your wallet, so bring a friend along for Rs.300 a meal for two.

II. Aslam Sheikh’s eatery 

Destination: Barah Handi, Crawford Market

Run by a fourth generation of Sheikh brothers, this eatery is famous for its Bara Handi. A handi is an earthenware utensil which enhances the flavour of the cooking.

Nalli Nihari (a delectable bone marrow dish with gravy and Pichoda. Their Tandoori Tengri Chicken (Barbequed chicken legs in green and red spices) and Naan with Barah Handi gravy are definitely something special, with the Barah Handi being cooked with 12 different mutton gravies mixed in one phenomenal experience. A meal for 1 would be around Rs. 150 give or take, eat away!

III. Bar-be-Que

Address: Khara Tank Rd, Kamathipura, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400003

If you’re looking for something that doesn’t pull at your purse strings, look no farther than Bar-be-que, whose prices are literally unheard of these days. This is the sort of place where you can see your kebabs being roasted on hot coals in front of you, more importantly they put Bademiya to shame.

They sell out super quick so you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Diagonally opposite to the Taj Ice Cream store, you’ll find chicken seekh kebabs, good ol’ regular seekh kebabs, Khiri (cow Udders), kaleji and chicken tikka, not to miss if you like your food searing hot and all meat.  

We recommend their kheeri-kaleeji, tandoori leg and marinated seekh kebabs, but make sure you ask for their fresh round naans, a perfect accompaniment to meat and chutney. Another favourite is the beef boti with fried crunchy parathas, perfect for your late night snack. Skip the lines and get there early; things get sold out really quickly. The food is offered at ridiculously wonderful prices with the seekh kebabs, khiri, kaleji and chicken tikka @ Rs. 28

IV. Firoz Farsan

Where: 29, Khara Tank Road, Syed Abu Mohammed Marg, Bhendi Bazar

There’s nothing quite like the patrel biryani; it’s really for the carnivore in all of us. The dish is a biriyani without any rice, but is made with patrel leaves, fried and cooked with beef. You can of course opt for a mutton or chicken option as well. Firoz Farsan’s version of the patra biriyani is available promptly at 11 a.m, but you can get it throughout the day.

Each day the raw stocks come in and a dough is prepared with channa flour, garam masala and kneaded with tamarind water. This paste is generously applied on the leaves. The leaves are then neatly rolled and folded and boiled for an hour to an hour and a half. Meanwhile, the meat is fried in a vaghar of red chillies, ginger, garlic, garam masala and a methi tadka is served.

The beef is boneless and cut into tiny pieces, but mutton is served with the bones. Eat it by the kilo and we promise we won’t tell anyone. Firoz Farzan can boast of being one of the only places in the world that makes this dish, and we’re privileged to be in the same city where it’s offered. The food is a generous portion offered on a saucer for Rs, 5, but you can take a kilo home for Rs.50. The mutton and chicken patra is at Rs. 120 a kilo, so if you’re at the end of the month with your wallet, you’ll be grateful.

V. Idris Coldrink

101, Pakmodiya Street, Bhendi Bazaar,Byculla, Mumbai

After much eating comes a time when you will need to hydrate, and nothing is better that Idris Coldrink when it comes to that requirement. A tiny shop, this modest location serves cold drinks and home-made sherbets with really unique flavours. You could try your usual kesar, elaichi, strawberry or mango flavours, or you can up the ante with Mellon Pipe, Aqua Blue and Cadbury (we’re not kidding).

Try a Sikanjbeen if you feel like you’re in a food coma and your stomach needs breathing room. They specialize in a masala drink called the Rimzim, which is basically a Jaljeera that will help cool your tummy down after a heavy meal. Their Idris Special is another famous drink that’s a rose sherbet made from fresh rose petals. The perfect end to an evening. It’ll probably bring a smile to your face when we tell you that each drink is for a mere Rs. 20.

VI. Jilani Fast Food

Address: 96, Shop no 6,Sana Manzil,Pakmodia Street, Khera Tank, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400009

You will probably find a lot of sizzling tavas in the Bohri Mohalla, so make sure you don’t accidentally miss Jilani Fast Food. You’ll be won over with their Chicken Baida Cheese Rolls, with meat served hot from the tava in the freshest roll. Late night diners also enjoy the Gurda cheese roll. If you get hit with the beautiful aroma from the grill, there will be no escape.

You can have most of their rolls with an option of mutton or chicken, but we recommend the Chicken, especially when it’s in their Chicken Special Baida Roti, a beautiful medley of chicken on a roti that is shallow fried, golden and crispy.

All the dishes are served with spicy green chutney, sliced onions and lemon.Try their Chicken special bhuna naan-chap, the naan is slightly saffron flavoured and the bhuna chicken is an extension of a process that includes meat added to spices and cooked in its own juices. This results in very strong flavours but not much sauce. The naan is then filled with the bhuna and sliced up into four pieces. You simply cannot miss this. A feast for one at only Rs. 200!

VII. JJ Jalebi Corner

4, Pradhan Building, J.J. Junction, MS Ali Rd, Kumbharwada,Byculla

When jalebi is in the name, you can guarantee that you’re probably going to get the best. JJ Jalebi does amazing sweet meats, but they are well known for their ramzani delight that is the mawa jalebi. They are darker, fluffier and more chewy than your regular jalebis, and well worth the future cavity. They also serve brilliant malpuas that give you the option of choosing single or double eggs.

The difference of using another egg is the size and fluff of the malpua, which you will enjoy with their freshly-made rabdi. A special ingredient in their sweets is the addition of desi ghee, with another ingredient called ‘chiraunji’. The chiraunji adds the much-needed crunch that adds to the sweetness of the malpua. A double egg malpua and a jalebi will ideally leave you good to go for the day. A kg of jalebi is Rs. 240 and a double egg malpua for Rs. 80, yes you’re going to want the kilo.

VIII. Noor Mohammadi Hotel, Girgaum

179, Wazir Building, Abdul Hakim Chowk, Bhendi Bazar, Near Girgaum, Mumbai

If you’re not swallowed up by the sights and sounds of this place, maybe you’ll be able to notice the beautiful Shaami Kebabs roasting on the grills at Noor Mohammadi Hotel. This is the hope of the legendary Chicken Sanju Baba, a gourmet dish created by Munnabhai BHMCT (That’s Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology to you!) This place screams non-veg, so be prepared to stuff yourself with dishes like their Murgh Hakimi, which is tossed in ghee and marinade and topped off with masala.

The ghee makes the dish incredibly rich and worth every bite, so make sure you order an extra plateful because these always get sold out quick. Ordering the Shammi Kebab, Chicken Sanju Baba and Murgh Achaari are your best options. The Chicken Sanju baba is heavy on spices and packs a punch, but well worth the slow burn on your tongue. Their Nalli Nihari is also a must-have, served very differently from the Hyderabadi variants. You don’t get the marrow bone of the Nalli but a bowlful of slow cooked broth with two large pieces of beef with a soft texture like an avocado. A full meal will cost you around Rs. 350

IX. Noor Sweets

134/142, Saifee Jubilee St, Kumbharwada, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400003

If ice cream is not your thing and you prefer sweets, then try Noor Sweets. This 82 year old sweet shop has been a staple in the Bohri Mohalla. The owner is a Bohri Muslim who also runs coaching classes, so you may want to sign up for them if this is your calling.

The allure of Noor Sweets is its jalebi, which sounds really simple, but is actually a confection made fresh from a wok with the perfect sweetness-to-crunch ratio. Although they have many other sweets on display that are equally delicious, there’s nothing like their fresh jalebis to end Ramazan. The Bohris do dessert first, so perhaps this should be your first stop before you move on to any other meal.

X. Sarvi , Byculla

184/196, Dimtimkar Road, Opposite Nagpada Police Station,Byculla, Mumbai

They may try to be incognito, but it’s hard to be that way when your food is shooting as loud as theirs is. The kebabs at Sarvi are not like your ordinary fancy restaurant, drowning in spices. It is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and a hint of mint.

These kebabs could pass as the even softer cousins of galoutis from North India, because they melt in your mouth like nothing you have ever tried. Their bheja masala fry (brain fried with spices) and masoor (lentil) pulao is filled with huge heaps of kheema (minced meat). No point trying to get the recipe, the staff at Sarvi would rather go to their grave that divulge that. Two people can dig in at Rs.250 a meal.

XI. Surti 12 Handi

Vahanwati Chawl, Bhendi Bazaar, Saifee Jubilee Street

Surti 12 Handi is a Big Deal. This is often the first joint people hit during the evenings if you’re seeking a meal that’s traditionally Bohri. With food that can only be described as magical, this joint is the Bohri Mohalla’s pride and joy.The 12 Handis may be 9 now, but that certainly hasn’t affected their quality of food.

Their nihari (beef bone marrow in gravy) is delicious, and they have a unique bhel that is a combination of meat and gravies made from multiple handis. This is served with khamiri roti (sour dough bread).  This is super comforting for the soul and the heart. Most dishes here will cost around Rs.100, the perfect end to Ramzan.

XII. Taj Ice Creams

Address: Khara Tank Rd, Kamathipura, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400003

There’s always room for dessert, no matter how close to a food coma you are. So if you’re still able to move, waddle over to Taj Ice Creams. This place is a 120 year old shop, run by Mr. Icecreamwala. Using a 120 year old recipe, the secret behind the freshness of the ice cream is that it is a traditional Sancha ice cream, native to the Bohris.

The roasted almond and chickoo flavours are fresh and have been churned for hours with an iron rod, not quite a factory made popsicle, which makes it even more special. They operate with huge moles, which gives it a harder consistency than a softee, but is made with local milk brands like Amul Gold and uses sugar and fresh fruits that workers are asked not to skimp on. No powders or essences are good enough.

On a good day, you may find 50 different flavours, and they even have a delivery service. The peru (guava) and sitaphal are firm fan favourites. Scoop up (pun intended) these ice creams for anwhere between Rs.15-25 a cup.

XIII. Tawakkal Sweets

26, Khara Tank Road, Bohri Mohalla, Byculla, Mumbai

We’d be remiss to avoid the desserts behemoth that is Tawakkal Sweets. Here you will find Bohri dessert delicacies like phirni, malai, dry fruits and malpua. The Phirni is smooth, and not too sweet. The malai is so good, it should have run with the tag “no one can taste just once.” You are definitely going to pack some of this for late night snacking.

The dry fruit is a thick mass that’s a bit like fudgey but delicious. If you still have the room, throw in some malpua, this is always shown being freshly fried and one look will hook you, especially if you dip it into rabdi or reduced-milk. A single malpua will cost you Rs. 70 and phirni to accompany it will cost Rs. 32.

SPECIAL MENTION

XIV. Haleem @ Abdul Mukhtalifs’

Abdul Mukhtalif’s haleem has been a staple at Ramzan for 30 years. The haleem is a rich preparation of meat, wheat, gram and spices made in a deg (large vessel). It is served piping hot in a bowl with a teaspoon of ghee, and topped with fresh mint. For years, customers have heaped praises on the consistency of the quality, so it’s a definite must-try.

 Feature Image Courtesy of Humayun Niaz Ahmed Peerzaada

Research: Nida Razack and Niketa Mohan